John Hancock famously made his name synonymous with the signature when he scrawled his name in large letters on the Declaration of Independence, daring King George to come after him.

But among the other 55 men who affixed their names to history was a Granville attorney, John Penn.

Penn penned the parchment near Hancock, and was one of three from North Carolina who did so. He lived near Stovall in northern Granville County.

According to the town of Stovall’s website, Penn was born in Virginia in 1741 and moved to Granville in 1774. He established himself as a lawyer and politician and was elected in 1775 to the provincial Congress.

As noted on ushistory.org, after signing the Declaration, Penn died at age 48, a few years after he was appointed to the Board of War.

His home near Stovall has since been destroyed, according to the town’s website.